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Collection online

popular print / album

Object type

Museum number

2003,1022,0.59

Description

Album of popular prints mounted on cloth pages. Colour lithograph, lettered, inscribed and numbered 59. Krishna and Balarama are seated in a chariot driven by Akrura. They are leaving their home of Brindaban and travelling to Mathura to fight Krishna's uncle Kamsa. The gopis crowd around the chariot, clutching at the wheels, attempting to halt their departure. See 2003,1022,0.56 for a similar depiction from the same series.

Inscription Type

Inscription Script

Inscription Position

Inscription Language

Inscription Comment

Inscription Type

Inscription Script

Roman

Inscription Position

lower border

Inscription Language

English

Inscription Content

Krishna and Balaram starting for Mathura.

Inscription Comment

Title, and numbered 59

Curator's comments

The Chore Bagan studio produced popular prints for the mass market comparable to those being created at the larger Calcutta Art Studio. Lithography was gaining momentum as a medium for picture production in the 1870s, and the Chore Bagan studio, located in Bhoobun Bannerjee’s Lane, Calcutta, was active in the 1880s and 1890s. Images produced include depictions of Kali, the fight between Rama and Ravana, as well as prints depicting the followers of Chaitanya. Hand-written captions in English have been added to the Bengali letter-press of the majority (some letterpress also in Hindi). The majority of the prints in this album were produced in Calcutta and reflect Bengal devotional cults; the final four prints were published by the Ravi Varma Press from Lonavla, c. 1910. See Christopher Pinney, 'Photos of the Gods' London 2004 for a comprehensive account of nineteenth century popular prints in India.